Morning journal and courier., 1887-02-17
MRS WILBUR EXON ERATED.
She is ErrOneously Accused of Theft
 RH a Brooklyn Lady.

She is ErrOneously Accused of Theft
 By a Brooklyn Lady.
 Mrs. L. A. Peckham, of 101 Henry street, Brooklyn had three attacks of illness in New
 York one day about three weeks ago, and when she got over them she went to the Brooklyn police headquarters and told them that to her best knowledge and belief she had been robbed when i'll by confidence lady. She said the woman gave her name as Mrs. Lucy I. Wilbur, and her residence New Haven. Detective Byrnes immediately tele- graphed to Chief Bollman, and said that
 Mrs. Peckham would be in New Haven on
 Monday or Tuesday and if woman answer ing the description given could be found in New Haven and Mrs. Peckham identified her to hold her On Monday Mrs. Peckham
 arrived here and took quarters at the New Haven House and then visited Chief Bollman at his office and told her story. She said while in the United States Hotel in New
 York she was suddenly taken i'll in the par Tor. She is troubled with neuralgia of the heart. A man and woman came to her aid and helped revive her. Mrs. Peck ham thought it would be better for her to get out and get the air and asked the man and woman to accompany her. They de- clined, but being rather persistent they &C.,
 
 street The woman told Mrs. Peckham that her name was Mrs. Lucy I. Wilbur of New Haven, Conn.,, and gave the name of the man as William F. Hendrick. She wanted them to go into Strausburgh's jewelry store. They did so. While paying for watch she was having repaired she was seized with an other attack of illness. She told Mrs. Will bur and MT. Hendrick that she did not ex- pect to live and gave him the watch she was paying for and another one to take to a friend for safe keeping, which he immediate ly started to do. Mrs. Wilbur accompanied Mrs. Peckham to another place, where the latter had another attack. Mrs. Peckham was then taken to the Chambers street hos pital and Mrs. Wilbur also went along to help care for her in case she was needed.
 Mrs. Peckham WAS placed in bed. Her fingers began to swell. She took off her three rings and asked Mrs. Wilbur to keep them for her. One was a diamond ring and the other two were plain ones. When she got ready to leave the hospital her attending physician gave her her pocketbook, which he said Mrs. Wilbur had given him when she had left. Mrs. Peckham opened the pocket book and found her money all there, but the rings were not.
 Mrs. Wilbur when she left Mrs. Peckham started for New Haven but found the boat had already gone. She went back to the ho- tel where she soon saw MT. Hendrick, who is relative of hers. She always sees him when she goes to New York. She found she had got to stay over night, and did not have money enough with her to pay her way. Had she reached the boat she would have got home in the morning and got more money at home, but in waiting on the sick lady she lost the boat. She opened her hand bag to get her handkerchief, and To and behold, out came the rings. Being in straitened cir cumstances as stated, she, on the advice Of her relative, pawned the rings for $6 and
 1o&H Hr ai what she had done, enclosing the pawn ticket and saying that soon she could she would repay the money.
 Hendrick didn't mail the letter.He opened it, initiated Mrs. Wilbur's handwriting in a new letter and said the temptation was too great, but enclosing the pawn ticket.
 Mrs. Wilbur came to New Haven, expect ing every day to receive letter from the woman she had befriended, but none came. She heard nothing until Detective Brewer called on her.
 Mrs. Wilbur and Mrs. Peckham told the same story to the chief, excepting as to how Mrs. Wilbur got hold of Mrs. Peckham's pocketbook. The former says in the jewel " store she was asked to take it and pay for the watch, and that she kept it till she left the hospital. Mrs. Peckham says she did not give it to Mrs. Wilbar.
 Chief BolIman after hearing both stories discharged Mrs. Wilbur, but he advised her to go to New York and clear up the cloud, as the authorities there would believe Mrs. Peckham's story. The chief told her she could go or not, just as she chose. She sent for 8 friend of her late husband, Elliot F. Benson, foreman for F. s. Andrew & Co.,, and when he came into the chiefs office she did not fall on his neck and very loving meeting take place, as described in an after noon paper He sanctioned the chiefs ad- vice and it was arranged that Mrs. Peckham and Mrs Wilbur go to New York yesterday morning at o'clock. The chief agreed to send Detective Brewer to explain the case as it was to the New York authorities. Detect i've Brewer and Mrs. Wilbur went, but Mrs. Peckham did not, nor was she present at the hearing. She did not start for New York till later in the day.
 Mrs. Wilbur is pretty little dressmaker, who has resided at 49 Dixwsll avenue, and has always borne a good reputation. She and Detective Brewer arrived back yesterday afternoon, the city authorities there being convinced that she had no idea whatever of stealing anything. If she wanted to she would certainly not have told her real name and address, and would not have delivered up the | which was filled with bills The | New York authorities are of the opinion that l Mrs. Wilbur is perfectly innocent of any evil | in the matter.
 It has been found, however that Hendrick | pawned both the watches given him to de- liver to somebody else for safe keeping Mrs, | Wilbur says that she Knew Hendrick was | somewhat dissipated, but had never heard | anything bad against him. He is wanted in this city on g petty charge